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For those in Essex County contemplating fertility after cancer, Barnabas Health offers options in reproduction

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For a young woman who always has dreamed of having a family, the possibility of children after cancer still may exist through freezing eggs or embryos, prior to the initiation of cancer treatment. For a referral to a Barnabas Health reproductive endocrinologist, call (888) 724-7123.

The diagnosis of cancer is a life-changing event. Unfortunately, the chemotherapy and radiation treatments that help assure the best possible outcome often impair a woman’s ability to become pregnant in the future, after she is cancer-free. For a young woman who always has dreamed of having a family, the possibility of children after cancer still may exist through freezing eggs or embryos, prior to the initiation of cancer treatment.

Patients facing a cancer diagnosis are more likely to be cured or to be in remission than in years past, and it is important for women to be aware of their options for preserving fertility. While men have had the opportunity to freeze reproductive material for several decades, it is only in recent years that laboratory modifications have brought improved methods for freezing and thawing eggs. Cryopreservation preserves cells, whole tissue and other matter susceptible to damage from cancer treatment. There is no limit on how long eggs or embryos can be cryopreserved, but it is important to decide quickly when a woman is considering fertility preservation so her cancer treatment is not delayed.

The Barnabas Health Cancer Centers encourage women of reproductive age who have been diagnosed with cancer to consult with a reproductive endocrinologist to get the most current information about fertility preservation before beginning treatment.

For a referral to a Barnabas Health reproductive endocrinologist, call (888) 724-7123.